SCOLOPACID.E - THE SNIPE TAMILV — GALLINAGO. 



l'J3 



Sr. Chau. Exceeiliiigly Hiiuiliir to G. IJ'ihoni, tliu iliHuruni't'. in coloriitidii sciirct'ly iluiiimUL-. 

 Tail-t't'iitliurs usimlly 14 iiisleml of 10, the outer pair witli tin: Imsul halt nl llio inncT web dusky, 

 lliu terminal half pale civaniy-iufous, tipped with white, and eiossed hy two liars of Maekish ; 

 llie outer web wliiti>h, with about four dusky liais. Liniiiy of the winj^' mostly white. Win;.; 

 avcragiuj^ shorter (").(K)-5.3()), and bill longer (culmeii :J.8ti-3.iHi), than in '/. It'iUniii ; tarsi and 

 lues also longer (tarsus, 1.25-1.4.') ; middle toe, l.l.')-1.4(i;. 



Hy colors alc^ne it is hardly possible to distinguish this species with cerlaintv from (I. Wihoni; 

 the ditl'eruuee in proportions, however, appears (piite constant, L'. cukslis ha\iiig the bill decidedly 

 Linger, as are also the tarsi and toes, while the wings are shorter. 



The differeiMc in the number of tail-feathers appears to be by no means constant (cf. Hartixu, 

 "lIand-boi>k Brit. Birds," 1872, pp. 143, 144, footnote). 



This species, the Common Snipe of Europe, occurs not unfrcquently in Greenland, 

 and occasionally in Bermuda. It has not been, so far as known, detected in Jsorth 

 Amerieu, though its accidental (((•curreuco may lie looked for as (piite prohidile. 

 Its rare appearance in IW'rmuda, thotigli unchiiUeiiged, can only he regarded as 

 an accident. One was said to have bt'cn taken by Major Wedderburn, iJce. 21. 

 1847, and a second on the L'Dth of the same month. In Greeidand, on the other 

 luiud, it was so common that Keiidiardt has no doubt that it bri'cds there. This, 

 however, is simi)ly conjectural — no eggs of this species having been obtained in that 

 country. 



This species has a pretty general distribution over Europe, appearing in the south- 

 ern portions during the wintry months, aiul going to the more northern countries 

 during the season of reproduction. 



In the British Islands it is found more or less abundant throughout the year. A 

 limited number contiime during the summer, and breed in all parts, from the southern 

 counties of England to the mountains of Scotland, being more luimerous in the 

 northern districts. In the fall the numbers are greatly increased by migrants 

 coming from more northern breeding-plaei's. 



It is a common species throughout Scandinavia, where it is migratory, only appear- 

 ing in March, and leaving soon after the close of the breeding-season. Mr. Lloyd, in 

 his "Field-Sports of the North of Europe," states that he found it very numerous in 

 the marshes in the viciiuty of Gotlieid)itrg. Liniueus, in his '• Tour in Lajdaiul," states 

 that on the lith of May. when near Geflc, he heard the note of the Snipe in the 

 marshes continually. It breeds in extensive morasses and swamps in the numntain- 

 ous districts of Xorway and Sweden, as well as in the smaller bogs of the cultivated 

 districts. From the northern parts of Scaiulinavia it migrates south in the middle 

 of August ; but in the south of Sweden it lingers until October. 



In the summer this bird exteiuls its migrations to the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and 

 Greenland, and is also found at the same season in all the northern portions of Eussia 

 and Siberia, breeding as far to the south as France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, and 

 lUyria. 



In the winter it extends its migrations to Spain, Italy. Sicily, and IMalta. This 

 bird is said to be abundant in the marshes about Smyrna, and to be also found in 

 Low^er Egypt. It is mentioned by Messrs. Blakiston ami Pryer ('■ Ibis," 1878, p. 222) 

 as common throughout Japan. The birds referred to by ]Mr. Swinhoe as G. Wilson i 

 (•• ibis," 1875, p. 454) were ])robably of this species, in their autumiud plumage. They 

 had been received from Hakodadi. 



In England, the native Snipes are reinforced by the great flights that take place 

 from Xorway and other northern parts of Europe, arriving in the greatest numbers 

 in the beginning of November. They do not remain long in any one situation, but 

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